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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Ruth Collins" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ruthcollins554@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:18:43 +0100
Subject: Message from Ruth Collins: Read and reply quickly

Hello,

I know you will be surprise to read my email, I got your contact from your e-mail domain, apart from being surprise you may be skeptical to reply back to me because of based on what is going on in the internet world one has to be very careful because a lot of scammer are out there to scam innocent citizen and this has made it very difficult for people to believe anything that comes through the internet but this is a different case.
lf you are willing to show me your honest and trust i think i will be able to work with you. Am an American and you should be rest assure that i cannot be involved in scam.

My name is Ruth Collins, private deposit manager offshore commercial bank. www.commercialbanksguide.com .

Though, I would like to hold back certain information for security reasons please visit the BBC website stated below to enable you have an insight what I intend to share with you, believing that it would be of your interest one-way or the other.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17740937
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17739388
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2130593/James-Ibori-Wickes-cashier-governor-oil-rich-Nigerian-state-scam.html
http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/opinion/editorial/2012/apr/22/editorial-22-04-2012.html
http://urhoboland.com/News%20Files/How%20James%20Ibori%20bankrupted%20InterContinental%20and%20Oceanic%20banks.htm

Also, could you get back to me having visited the above website to enable us discuss in a more clarifying manner to the best of your understanding. I must say that I'm very uncomfortable sending this message to you without knowing truly if you will discontinue and expose it to the public.will not hold back to say that the essence of this message is strictly for mutual benefit between you and I and nothing more.
I will explain to you in details in my next message regarding this. meanwhile, could you send me an email confirming that you have visited the site and that you have understood my intentions? I will like you to get back to me with the following information.
1. Full Name
2. Address
3.Occupation
4.Age
I do not need your telephone number because i cannot call you, we can only communicate through email for now. all phone calls are been recorded and monitored for training and quality purposes in my bank: No Phone call yet.
I will await your thoughts via my email.

sincerely yours

Ruth Collins

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